Red Cross ‘keen to strengthen partnerships’ with Jordan

AMMAN — The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Peter Maurer, completed a two-day visit to Jordan on Saturday, affirming the committee’s support for Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanians.

During the visit, Maurer highlighted Jordan’s solidarity towards populations affected by conflicts in neighbouring countries as well as Jordan’s role and influence in the region. During a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi, the president assured Safadi of the ICRC’s commitment to supporting both Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanians in host communities, according to a statement sent from the ICRC.

“We are keen to strengthen the partnership between Jordan and the ICRC to address key humanitarian issues through a policy dialogue, more systemic and innovative approaches that would optimise the outcomes of our work and promote additional support for the Jordanian authorities,” Maurer said in the statement. 

During Maurer’s visit he also heard testimonies from Syrian refugees about their daily lives at Azraq refugee camp and met with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat to exchange expertise on implementing international humanitarian law.

The head of the ICRC delegation in Jordan, Juerg Montani, said that “beyond our long-term operational presence in Jordan, supporting the country in dealing with the consequences of several crises in the region over the past 50 years, we understand Amman as an important regional hub offering a conducive platform for humanitarian dialogue and policy debates. What we are seeking are partnerships... to explore and promote humanitarian law and principles and neutral, impartial humanitarian action.”